Brand identities are made up of lots of smaller elements coming together to provide a strong overall message. Probably the most important of these elements is a logo, but what is needed in order to create a successful logo? In this post we explore logo design and what key principles are required to create something that communicates your brand in the best possible way.
Throughout a normal day we are exposed to hundreds of logos, both consciously and subconsciously, so competition is always tough. It’s hard to stand out from the crowd, but designing a logo that adheres to five key principles can help break through the noise. All logos should try to be simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate.
Simple
Recognition is built on simplicity. A logo usually has a split second to register with the viewer, so creating something that is easy to decode and understand is a vital component to successful logo design. The design world itself is built on refinement and simplicity so creating something with the necessary restraint can help to create a sense of familiarity and recall, which moves us on to our next principle…
Memorable
It seems obvious to say, but a logo should be easy to remember. The very basis of a good brand is to give a sense of identity to your service or product. Having something that is difficult to remember or that people will instantly forget will do more harm than good. Think about some of the most successful brands in the world. Their logos are incredibly easy to recall. The Apple logo? The Nike Swoosh? These simple shapes are synonymous with successful brands. Iconic even. Creating something so easily recalled is not easy, but incredibly important.
Timeless
There is a tendency in design to try and follow the latest trends which is fine across the other elements of a brand identity, but a logo is a core fixture that will need to stand the test of time. Rebranding is often a costly and time consuming exercise so keep in mind the length of time you will probably be using your logo and try to avoid the need to follow the crowd.
Versatility
A common misconception in logo design is to assume that a logo presented a particular way is the only version of that logo that can exist. A logo doesn’t necessarily have to stay a particular colour to do its job. Enriching a logo with the versatility to be presented in all manner of ways is of huge importance, especially in today’s modern media landscape. These days logos appear in all shapes and sizes across all manner of mediums and products. Creating a logo in vector format from the offset will mean that things like colour and placement can follow on as a secondary consideration, giving your logo the versatility to be used anywhere.
Appropriate
A logo has a very small window of opportunity to communicate a huge amount of information and it is important that a logo represents the core ideals of the brand it represents. Through use of colour, shape and layout a logo can represent the type of business it has been designed for. It seems obvious, but a logo for a gym is not going to look the same as a logo for solicitor.
If you are looking at creating a brand identity give us a call or drop us an email to have a chat about how we can help you to produce the perfect solution. We have a great team who can help you to realise your ideas and produce high quality design for print and web.
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